Saw the Light,
Nothing like only telling half the story for a reaction, is there!!
Said MA holder is one of the most qualified people in Australia, engineering wise, on the particular type and model of helicopter. All as a result of factory training on type, and manufacturer endorsement and support of his qualifications and experience.
To the degree that he is a technical point of reference in Australia for the manufacturer !! The go to many if you have a problem with the same aircraft.
CASA made no mistake in issuing the MAs (multiple) originally, the refusal to re-issue had more to do with " I had to do a five year apprenticeship to change sparkplugs" approach to qualifications, therefor everybody who hasn't done a five year apprenticeship must keep their greasy fingers odd.
------- Completely ignoring the matter of competency based qualifications and training, and there is no doubt in the minds of those who issued the MAs in the first place, or the AAT, of the competency of the person, regardless of the fact that he had not done a traditional apprenticeship.
Said person also has one of the most comprehensively equipped maintenance workshops for helos. Including a complete battery room for NiCad battery maintenance to manufacturer's standards---- how many of those at YSBK ---- one? none?
In my opinion, it is a condemnation of the CASA system, that middle level managers attempted to take advantage of high level management changes in CASA to "settle old scores", and remove long held and well deserved qualifications.
Tootle pip!!